Nymphs Minor Goddess
A nymph is a minor female nature deity typically associated with a particular location or landform. though a minor goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as divine spirits who animate nature, and are usually depicted as beautiful, young nubilemaidens who love to dance and sing; their amorous freedom sets them apart from the restricted and chaste major goddess, They are believed to dwell in mountains and groves, by springs and rivers, and also in trees and in valleys and cool grottoes. Although they would never die of old age nor illness, and could give birth to fully immortal children if mated to a god, they themselves were not necessarily immortal, and could be beholden to death in various forms. Charybdis and Scylla were once nymphs. Other nymphs, always in the shape of young maidens, were part of the retinue of a god, such as Dionysus, Hermes, or Pan, or a goddess, generally the huntress Artemis. Nymphs were the frequent target of satyrs. As female nature spirit typically associated with a particular location or land-form or servants/retinue of more powerful being, often a major deity. They dwell in mountains and groves, by springs and rivers, and also in trees and in valleys and cool grottoes. Nymphs can be divided into five broad groups: Celestial Nymphs are connected to various aspects of sky, including breezes and stars. Daughters of Ouranos Land Nymphs are connected to various landforms, including glens, pastures, valleys and mountains. Daughters of Gaea Underworld Nymphs are servants of Underworld deities. Daughters of Taurtaur, Nyx and Erebous Water Nymphs are connected to various bodies of water, from sea to springs, lakes and rivers. Daughters of Pontos and Thalassa Wood and Plant Nymphs are connected to particular trees. Daughters of Gaea and Physis Celestial nymphs * Aurae (breezes), among the eldest daughters of ouranos * Asteriae (stars), mainly comprising the Atlantides (daughters of Ouranos) ** Hesperides (nymphs of the West, daughters of Atlas; also had attributes of the Hamadryads) *** Aegle ("dazzling light") *** Arethusa *** Erytheia (or Eratheis) *** Hesperia (or Hispereia) ** Hyades (star cluster; sent rain) ** Pleiades (daughters of Atlas and Pleione; constellation; also were classed as Oreads) *** Maia (partner of Zeus and mother of Hermes) *** Electra *** Taygete *** Alcyone *** Celaeno *** Asterope *** Merope * Nephele (clouds) daughters of ouranos * ** Land nymphs all ancient daughters of Gaea *** Alseides (glens, groves) *** Auloniades (pastures) *** Leimakides or Leimonides (meadows) *** Napaeae (mountain valleys, glens) *** Oreads (mountains, grottoes), also Orodemniades daughtersrs of Ourea ** Wood and plant nymphs *** Anthousai (flowers) daughters of Physis *** Dryades (trees) daughters of gaea *** Hamadryades or Hadryades daughters of Physis **** Daphnaeae (laurel tree) **** Epimeliades or Epimelides (apple tree; also protected flocks), other name variants include Meliades, Maliades and Hamameliades; same as these are also the Boucolai (Pastoral Nymphs) **** Kissiae (ivy) **** Meliae (manna-ash tree) Ouranos daughters *** Hyleoroi (watchers of woods ** Water nymphs (Hydriades or Ephydriades) *** Haliae (sea and seashores) daughters of pontus **** Nereids (50 daughters of Nereus, the Mediterranean Sea) *** Naiads or Naides (fresh water) **** Crinaeae (fountains) **** Eleionomae (wetlands) **** Limnades or Limnatides (lakes) **** Pegaeae (springs) **** Potameides (rivers daughters) ***** Tágides (Tagus River) *** Oceanids (daughters of Oceanus and Tethys, any water, usually salty) * Underworld nymphs *** Cocytiae, daughters of the river god Cocytus *** Lampades - torch bearers in the retinue of Hecate *** Underworld nymphs: **** Orphne is a representation of the darkness of the river Styx, the river of hatred, but is not to be confused with the goddess Styx-herself, but she is associated with both Styx and Nyx. She is the consort of Acheron, (the god of the river in Hades), and the mother of Ascalaphus, (the orchardist of Hades). **** Leuce (white poplar tree), lover of Hades **** Minthe (mint), lover of Hades, rival of Persephone **** Melino Orphic nymph, daughter of Persephone and "Zeus disguised as Pluto". ** Other nymphs *** Hecaterides (rustic dance) - sisters of the Dactyls, mothers of the Oreads and the Satyrs daughters of Physis *** Kabeirides - sisters of the Kabeiroi *** Maenads or Bacchai or Bacchantes - frenzied nymphs in the retinue of Dionysus **** Lenai (wine-press) **** Mimallones (music) **** Naides (Naiads) **** Thyiai or Thyiades (thyrsus bearers) *** Melissae (honey bees), likely a subgroup of Oreades or Epimelides *** The Muses (memory, knowledge, art) *** Themeides - daughters of Zeus and Themis, prophets and keepers of certain divine artifacts